John green



'( o ModeL) J.GREEN.

BRAKE BEAM.

No. 478,057. Patented June 28, 1892.).

WITNESSES:

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GREEN, OF RENOVO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEI-IALF TO JOHN XV. FORSTER AND IRENE FORSTER, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,057, dated June 28, 1892.

Application filed February 25, 1892. Serial No. 422,759. (No model.)

use the same.

My present invention relates to railwaycars, and has for its object certain improvements in the construction of brake-beams, whereby the strength is greatly augmented at the points subject to the greatest strain.

The invention will be fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, I have illustrated the best form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, and in said drawings Figure 1 is a perspective; Fig. 2, a side elevation, partly in section; Fig. 3, an end view; Fig. 4, a perspective of the post or strut detached; Fig. 5, a similar View of one of the supports, and Fig. 6 a perspective of the lower end of the post which engages the bar of the brake-beam.

Practical use of light metallic brake-beams has demonstrated that the greatest strain upon the bar which supports the brakeshoe is just inside of the shoe-holder, and in very many instances the bar at this point is bent back to such an extent as to greatly impair the brake. Furthermore, brake-beams as ordinarily constructed have the post or strut between the bar and the tie-rod in one piece, and as a consequence when either the outer or the inner end of the post is broken from any cause the entire post must be thrown away. It is my purpose to so support the bar as to strengthen it at the point where the greatest strain is exerted and connect the supports to the truss-postor strut by tie-rods, so that the bar cannot be bent back by any degree of strain capable of being brought to bear upon the bar, and provide means for enabling the brake-beam to be used even in the event of the breaking of the truss-rod until the car can be turned in for repairs, and

to make the truss-post in two separable pieces, so that in the event of breaking either end the other end need not be thrown away.

Reference being had to the drawings, Aiu dicates a brakedoeam of my improved construction, and consists of a bow-shaped barB,

preferably of angle iron curved in the direction of the strain brought to bear upon the beam in applying the brake to the wheels of a car, a truss-rod O, the ends of which are screw-threaded and provided witha nut a, and a truss-post or strut D, ordinarily assembled to form a brake-beam.

In the outer ends of the bar B are secured metal'castings E, forming-supports for the truss-rod, which lies in a groove 1') in the upjustment oi": the tie-rods, and in the inner end e of the casting is a slot f for the insertion of the tie-rod. The tie-rods F pass through the post or strut D, and are arranged in planes nearly horizontal and substantially coincident with the plane of the bar B, the heads g of the tie-rods preferably resting against the post and the nuts h being in the cavity (1 in the truss-rod support, which prevents the nuts becoming accidentally disengaged. The height of the tie-rods may be varied to suit modified constructions of the brake-beam.

The post or strut D is-Inade in two parts, 11 being the upper part through which the trussrod O'passes and is provided with a slot for the brake-lever and a dowel-pin Z, and m the lower part or foot of the post, which is provided with an angular aperture n, which conforms to the inner and outer surfaces of the bar 13, and thereby braces the sides of the bar at the point engaged by said foot m, and with a socket o to receive the'dowelpinZ on the part 'i. In the event of breaking either end of the post only the broken piece need be removed from the brake-beam and replaced by a new piece, thus reducing cost of repairs in time and material. In this connection it may be stated that the tie-rods F also serve to hold or secure the post in its proper position and prevent its moving on the bar, as frequently occurs in use to the detriment of the brake-beam, as the truss-rod then becomes loose and no longer braces the bar B, and the tie-rods may be made in one piece.

G indicates the brake-shoe holder, which is provided with an opening or apertu re p, which conforms to the configuration of the bar B and the castings or supportsE, and is secured on each end of the brake-beam by the nuts (1 on the truss-rod C, and as the upper side (1 of the casting E is inclined it forms a Wedge upon which the shoe-holder is drawn tight by the nut a, and owing to the configuration of the bar and the casting the shoe-holder is prevented turning on the brake-beam.

The brake-beam thus constructed is doubly braced, causing it to be rigid in use, and by the use of the tie-rods prevented from falling on the track at the risk of derailing the ear in the event of breaking the truss-rod. 5

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is 1. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consist? ing of a bar, a truss-rod, a post or strut, and a tie-rod between said bar and truss-rod. i

2. A brake-beam for railway-ears, consistiing of a bar, a truss-rod, a post or strut, and a tie-rod in a plane substantially coincident with the plane of said bar and connected to said post.

3. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consist,- in g of a bar, a truss-rod, a post or strut, sup} ports between the bar and the truss-rod, and a tie-rod connected to the post and the sup?- ports.

4. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consist}.

ing of a bar, a truss-rod, and a post in two separable parts, one of which engages the baiand is provided with a socket and the other part engaged by the truss-rod and provided witha dowel-pin loosely engaging said socket;

5. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consisting of a continuousbar of angle-iron, atrussrod, and a post or strut in two separable parts, one provided with a dowel-pin and the other with a socket in its uppersurface and having an aperture through it conforming to theangle of the bar and engaging said bar on both sides.

(3. A brake-beam having castings or supports permanently secured at its ends and provided with inclined and grooved upper surfaces, in combination with a truss-rod engaging said grooves, and brake-shoe holders engaging the bar and said castings.

'7. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consisting of a bow-shaped bar curved in the direction of the strain of the beam, a truss-rod, a post or strut, and a tie-rod between the bar and the post and between the bar and the truss-rod.

8. A brake-beam for railway-ears, consisting of a bow-shaped bar of angle-iron, curved in the direction of the strain of the beam, a truss-rod, a post or strut, angular supports be tween the bar and the truss-rod, and tie-rods, one each side of the beam, connected to the post and the supports.

9. A brake-beam for railway-cars, consisting of a bar, castings, or supports permanently secured to the ends of the bar and I each provided with an outwardly-inclined upper surface having a longitudinal groove, and a truss-rod engaging said groove, in combination with brake-shoe holders engaging the bar and said casting.

10. Abrake-beam having castings provided with inclined upper surfaces secured in its ends, a truss-rod, and a post or strut, in combination with tie-rods attached to said castings and posts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN GREEN.

I NVitnesses:

D. O. REINOHL, H. B. REINoHL. 

